This is wonderful news! What a blessing the Lord has given you, and the timing...wow! I am so encouraged to watch how gracefully you have handled all of this. I will certainly be praying for a healthy baby, and of course keep praying as you and Andy continue to grieve the loss of beautiful Caden.

Barb said to me today..."Cari never stopped being a mommy"....not for one second. Oh no!! I feel tears coming again, you know what I need! Please provide it ASAP! :) I miss little girl so badly, but I can't wait to tell the new baby all about his or her big sister and how special and beautiful she was and the mighty work God has done in our families' lives. I am in awe of this story and how it is unfolding. I'm so happy we have this to look forward to!!

Hi, I found your blog last month through Heidi and Gretchen's blog. Congratulations on the news! I have been so touched by your words and grace and strength. God is amazing!! "he gives and takes away.....but my heart will choose to say, Blessed be Your name! Blessed be the name of the Lord!" Beth :)

Since your "Thriller" post, I thought I'd be able to start reading your blog again without crying...but now that you've added those songs, my eyes are watering again!!:) There are such great words in the songs you selected.

I have been struggling since the post you made a week or so ago to put into to words the overwhelming impact I have felt since learning that Caden had passed. When I read of your exciting news this morning, I cried once more for you (tears of joy) and sat in complete awe of our amazing God.

I am a friend of Heather Harbert's, and I don't even know you, yet you have impacted my life in ways I felt you deserved to know about. I was talking with a friend about it earlier today and she challenged me to just start writing...so here goes.

As a new mother myself, I can not begin to imagine the agony you must feel when you grieve for Caden. However, your faith in God and the amazing glory that you have shown him has reaffirmed for me that God is in control and his plan is far greater than I know. I have cried for you many times and prayed that God would provide you comfort...and each day that I read a new post from you, I am reassured that God is there with you, helping you to understand his great plan for your family. You have helped renew my faith in God and challenged me to take God's lead in my walk with him...it's not about me, it's about his plan for me. I admire you greatly for your strength, your faith and your love for God. Thank you for sharing your heart with us...I am so thankful! Betsy Retherfordbetsy225@hotmail.com

who we claim to be

Hey all,If you do not know us, the first thing you should know is how much we love the Lord our God, and we are striving to live lives worthy of the title, Believer.
The second is we are praying everyday for His return. On that day we will be reunited with our precious baby girl Caden, the treasure of our hearts. Since the death of our daughter we have battled grief, hurt, tears in public, brain surgery and chemo. We have also celebrated new life in the birth of our 2 sons. So come, read, share and enjoy the life God has given us. Although it is not perfect, or even what we had planned it is what He wants for us, so we choose to rejoice.

start here!!!

The Captain and Cari

Our Joy, Caden Joelle.

"Michael said Caden's funeral felt like a wedding. I smile to type that, because in many ways, it was: a celebration of one little bride being united with the Lamb."

~Katherine Kramer~

our big Rigg

Ryder

things that make me laugh

I came back into the room from treating myself to a nice, cold diet coke when I saw the Captain playing with Rigg. He was making the stuffed animal dance in the air toward our son and saying in a sing-song voice “Here comes the zebra.” I looked at him and said in the exact same sing-song voice “It’s a giraffe.” To which the Captain, with only the briefest pauses, sing-songed back the reply… “Daddy had brain surgery.“